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Topic: Blue Herco thumbpicks |
Greg Vincent
From:
Folsom, CA USA
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Posted 14 Sep 2005 6:52 am |
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Hi folks,
John McClung recently turned me on to those blue Herco thumpicks many players use. I dig them! They have that nice "flick" off the string.
What's odd is that, since I have started using them, the bottom edge of my thumb (the edge closest to the strings) is going numb. It's not really a problem and not painful, just a weird sensation.
Anyone else experience this?
-GV |
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Rick Johnson
From:
Wheelwright, Ky USA
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Posted 14 Sep 2005 7:16 am
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I've used them for many years
and I've never had any numbness.
I've tried other picks from time
to time but go back to the Herco.
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Rick Johnson
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Scott Henderson
From:
Camdenton, Missouri, USA
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Posted 14 Sep 2005 7:24 am
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I have used buga blues for years which i think is the pick you're referring to. I have big thumbs and have made it a habit topull out on the part of the pick that wraps around the lower part of the cuticle. I've never went numb but have felt some slight pain from them digging in to my thumb might give it a try
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Steelin' away in the ozarks and life,
Scott
www.scottyhenderson.com
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Rick Schmidt
From:
Prescott AZ, USA
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Posted 14 Sep 2005 7:52 am
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Greg...I've had that problem with most thumbpicks. I've found that the small, light picks (which are good for most guys) make my retarded double jointed thumb go numb after a very short time. Maybe it's actually because of the "flick". I don't know?
I've been using this Golden Gate extra heavy pick for the last 4 or 5 years, and have had no problems. I love it, even though it's almost the exact opposite of the blue Herco's.
http://www.elderly.com/accessories/items/PK21-LXH.htm
Good luck. |
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Brandin
From:
Newport Beach CA. USA
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Posted 14 Sep 2005 8:29 am
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Greg, maybe you're allergic to blue.
GB |
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Jerry Tillman
From:
Florida
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Posted 14 Sep 2005 9:27 am
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| Use your other hand. ls |
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Jerry Hayes
From:
Virginia Beach, Va.
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Posted 14 Sep 2005 10:01 am
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| I've used those blue Herco picks for over 20 years and love the dang things! While at Billy Cooper's steel shop a month or two ago I bought some red ones which were like the same pick except a different color. I always file the tip to a sharp point to get a clearer sound on the bass strings and shove 'em up almost all the way to my knuckle like ol' Doug J. does! I use 'em on both lead guitar and steel. They seem to just last forever and don't ever break or lose their shape.........JH in Va. |
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Mike Perlowin
From:
Los Angeles CA
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Posted 14 Sep 2005 10:22 am
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| I've also used them for years. I also use the red powder coated finger picks made by Chuck Brattain, becuase they don't slip off your fingers. |
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Dave Zirbel
From:
Sebastopol, CA USA
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Posted 14 Sep 2005 10:30 am
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Are the Hercos the ones shaped like regular guitar picks?
DZ |
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Greg Vincent
From:
Folsom, CA USA
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Posted 14 Sep 2005 10:54 am
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Yo DZ --Herco does make those picks shaped like regular guitar picks, but I'm talking about these bad boys : http://www.elderly.com/accessories/items/PK3.htm
Thanks for all the replies, folks. Keep 'em coming! -GV |
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memphislim
From:
Austin, Texas
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Posted 14 Sep 2005 12:59 pm
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I've tried em all and these work the best for me. If you haven'tn tried them, you don't know what your missing. Other picks lasted 2 maybe 3 months. These last over a year, easy. They look weird but trust me, they rock.
http://www.elderly.com/accessories/items/PK24-H.htm |
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Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
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Posted 14 Sep 2005 1:01 pm
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Maybe it's just too tight, or maybe you've got it too high on your thumb?
That'd be my guesses. |
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Tom Jordan
From:
Wichita, KS
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Posted 14 Sep 2005 1:24 pm
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What Donny said and you can also try what I do...I soak the picks in very hot water and reshape them to my thumb (be careful) The plastic is easy to form and I have had no problem with the picks wanting to return to the "old" size. I also did this for plastic finger picks for my reso...I didn't like the sound of steel picks on the strings. They work real well and are as aligned as my sttel picks.
Tom |
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John Steele
From:
Renfrew, Ontario, Canada
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Posted 14 Sep 2005 1:25 pm
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If there's a certain place on them that's too tight, you can dunk them quickly in some boiling water and reshape them with some gentle pressure, and the rest of the pick will retain it's original shape.
-John
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www.ottawajazz.com |
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David Mason
From:
Cambridge, MD, USA
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Posted 15 Sep 2005 2:26 am
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I have what I consider to be my "light" set of picks, which is a Herco blue and Kyser fingerpicks, and my "heavy" set which is a Kelly slickpick or a filed down Kelly standard and National NP2's. I use my heavy set until my fingers start to hurt after a few hours then switch to the light set, and/or use the heavy set for a clearer tone and the lighter set for more speed. (I like big white Dunlop thumbpicks and wierdly-angled Dunlop fingerpicks for six-string, go figure.)
P.S. (Always, delrin for the Kellys, the polycarb picks break within a few hours, I guess they figure you'll just keep buying more?)
P.S.S. (Jerry, have you tried the red ones yet? I found them really flimsy, much flexier than the blue ones)[This message was edited by David Mason on 15 September 2005 at 04:06 AM.] |
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Charlie McDonald
From:
out of the blue
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Posted 15 Sep 2005 2:57 am
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I keep losing my thumbpick because I never use it, and the mention of pain and numbness doesn't sound like a good reason to start; but I got Joe Wright's video on pick blocking, so I might give one of these blue ones a try. The color is right, so I should be able to find it to use.
I'll remember the hot water trick. |
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David Wren
From:
Placerville, California, USA
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Posted 21 Sep 2005 3:20 pm
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Greg, try twisting the pick 90 degrees in times of pause ("Hey, what're we gonna play now?") just a short time every now and then will keep your thumb from getting numb, and eventually the pick will lessen in tension. I like picks that stay put because much of what I do have in the way of speed picking utililizes my thumb bouncing along the top of the strings, and just a little twist will really screw you up... so I keep em tight, and give my thumb little breathers whenever the oppurtunity allows.... it is the pick that is blue and not your thumb?
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Dave Wren
'95Carter S12-E9/B6,7X7; Session500; Hilton Pedal
www.ameechapman.com
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jim milewski
From:
stowe, vermont
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Posted 22 Sep 2005 4:14 am
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| I love the Hercos! do reso players use them? |
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Terry Sneed
From:
Arkansas,
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Posted 22 Sep 2005 12:59 pm
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I've been usin the blue hercos for yrs. Not only does my thumb go numb, but my first and middle finger also. Carpul tunnel is the culprit in my case though. Very frustrating!
Terry
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Mullen D10 /8x5 / session 500rd/ American Strat Highway 1 model
steelin for my Lord
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